Back catalogue: All genres

Review: ***B-STOCK: Creasing to corner of outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***


Light In The Attic teams up with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive for a thrilling retrospective, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed At Pickwick Records 1964-65. An expansive selection of songs all written by Lou Reed, during his mid-60s stint as the staff songwriter for the long-defunct label Pickwick Records, this is a rare glimpse of a master rock musician stepping out of the limelight over the course of 25 songs, yet still letting the form and contour of his voice and sensibility be heard. All this was achieved before Reed had at all launched his career with the Velvets; it may indeed be said that this pubescent 60s period was the firelighter to Reed's flame, as the label specialised in soundalike records that emulated the major pop hits of the day - it's no wonder Reed would absorb such emulations and take them in as his own, albeit with a Century-defining twist. Channelling everything from teenybopper pop to soul-inflected garage rock, whether byJeannie Larimore, The Hi-Lifes or The Hollywoods, we get a thorough look-in here as to what made Reed and his contemporaries tick, and what Reed made tick in turn, before the fame.

Review: This five-disc CD set has an impressively broad and satisfying journey through one of the most dynamic decades in popular music. From glam to disco, punk to singer-songwriter balladry, soul to soft rock, each disc brings together an eclectic mix of tracks that still feels essential. The opening tracks boast undeniable energy: Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now' and ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky' remain joyful anthems, while Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' and Gary Numan's 'Cars' introduce a touch of post-punk and synth-pop futurism. As the compilation moves into moodier and more socially charged fare, the inclusion of The Clash's 'London Calling' and Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' add depth and urgency, but there are moments of sheer beauty like Joan Armatrading's 'Love and Affection' and Justin Hayward's 'Forever Autumn' too. The disco era gets a full-bodied celebration with staples like Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive', Chic's 'Good Times' and Earth Wind and Fire's 'September', each one carrying the rhythm and flair that defined dancefloors at the time. Meanwhile, soft rock and radio-friendly hits like 10cc's 'I'm Not In Love' and Bread's 'Make It With You' provide smoother, introspective tones. Nostalgic singalongs such as 'Sweet Caroline', 'Mull of Kintyre' and 'Tie a Yellow Ribbon' add a glimpse of warmth that remains from the 60s. Each track is a classic in its own right, but together they form a kaleidoscope of 70s culture.

Review: The Now! compilations have come a heck of a long way since their inception in 1983, thanks to the mantic capabilities of Stephen Navin, Jon Webster and Peter Jamieson, major label collaborators operating between EMI and Virgin. Inspired by a 1920s British advertising poster depicting a pig exclaiming, "Now, that's what I call music!", these roundups are bona fide arbitrations of taste indeed. While decadal / period retrospectives are their usual fare, their yearly roundup subcategory takes shape for 2025, enshrining the very best earworms of recent memory: Tyla's 'Water', Lil Nas X's 'That's What I Want', Ariana Grande's 'Yes &?' and Raye's 'Escapism'.

Review: The Eyes Wide Shut soundtrack was released in 1999 and weaves together haunting classical pieces, jazz standards and eerie original compositions by Jocelyn Pook. Her track 'Masked Ball' stands out as a chilling centrepiece that add to the film's surreal and unsettling mood. The inclusion of Chris Isaak's sultry 'Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing' and Shostakovich's haunting 'Waltz 2' deepens the psychological tension. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media so was essential to the film's mysterious atmosphere. Pook's work, paired with Ligeti, Liszt and jazz legends still stands up as a great mix of seduction and suspense.